Orae-doen jeongwon (2006)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Sang-soo Im

Writer:

Sang-soo Im (screenplay)

Release Date:

4 January 2007 (South Korea)

Genre:

Drama | History | Romance

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Eun-Seong
Jin-hee Ji
Yu-ri Kim
Jung-ah Yum
Hee-seok Yun
Yeo-Jong Yun

Also Known As:

The Old Garden (International: English title)

Runtime:

South Korea:112 min

Country:

South Korea

Language:

Korean

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

South Korea:12 | Singapore:PG | Japan:PG-12

Filming Locations:

South Korea

Company:

MBC-TV Korea

Quotes:

Oh: The air becomes soaked as the wind blows I endow it with the name, spring rain.
Han: [long pause] Is that all?
Oh: Sorry that's all.
[pause]
Oh: Spring Rain. Yet too meagre to soak the potato fields.
Han: [raised eyebrows, implied] ?
Oh: Yes, that's the end again.
Han: [nodding] Short, but classy.

Non-classical Corean melodrama is a little slow, but observes love and longing well

I really liked The Old Garden, despite my expectations, fueled by other critics that I respect. The most recent (fifth) film by director Im Sangsoo finds him adapting a novel about a love story set during the turbulent protests in early 1980's Corea. The Old Garden breaks with some cinematic storytelling conventions to some degree and presents a surprisingly warm reflection on love and life decisions. Not what I expected from his darker and/or socially edgier previous films.

The story follows a political activist as he's released after 18 years in prison for his participation in conspiring to overthrow the military- led government of Corea in the 80's. He heads back to the Gwanju region, in the South, where he recollects the time he spent hiding out with a woman he came to love and the times in which they lived. The film jumps around in time, as he remembers their relationship, what happened with her after he was imprisoned, and the present, as he grapples with his life now that he's finally released. The story is non-linear both temporally, but it also doesn't follow the standard filmic story structure and opts to focus on the characters, spending much of the first half looking at their intense, but doomed relationship. The second half moves more towards their individual stories after they separate. This is one of the things I found that I liked about the film; it continues to be a love story between two people that can't be together and the story shows how they search for each other in absence of the actual person. The story resists presenting "turns" as you'd expect in classic cinematic storytelling, so it might require a bit of patience to achieve the impact of the story. Also, the film resists a classic catharsis, so instead of the pleasure of the great dramatic turn in the climax, you sort of have to enjoy the revelations and the moments with the characters. This is certainly not a story structure that the average moviegoer can appreciate, I think. Especially the slower second half. But if you look into the corners of the actions of the characters, you get to see the loneliness, the longing and the continuation of a relationship that can't be. I found it quite enthralling.

The male lead is portrayed well, resisting the temptation to be perfect- -his character, especially when young, is drawn as a fierce ideologist and so it's not always easy to like him, but he always emits a rather easygoing and almost humorous nature that the character won me over. The female lead has to carry a lot of weight, since the second half of the film is focused on her and the actress who portrayed the crazed stepmother in Tale of Two Sisters really does an impressive job. She's a striking woman, with catlike eyes, and brings depth to the obsessed artist who hides the activist, balancing a fierce edginess, the seeming guardedness of a longing heart, and the weariness of bearing the destructive decision to follow her heart well. Technically, the picture was shot a little rough and tumble, as is characteristic of the director's style, but is probably the slickest of his pictures I've seen yet. Lighting serves its purpose well, keeping the focus on the story and art/costume follows suit, evoking the changing fashions and times in Corea as the film progresses.

As mentioned, I was surprised that I liked this film as much as I did. It's unconventional story structure and rhythm might not go over well with all viewers, but those with patience and involvement with the characters and the love story in absentia, will find a reserved, but nonetheless emotional tale. The end can be slightly cheesy for some, I will admit, but I liked it. As the credits rolled, I was left pondering the decisions that I make in my life and perhaps some of my resonance with the young male protagonist had a little to do with my affinity for the film. All the same, I really like this melodrama and can recommend it to those with both patience and an appreciation for non-classical storytelling. 8/10.